New Beginnings
by Cloudoholic22
Summary: Title is subjected to change, I'm back though and with a FFVII fic at that. This is about Cloud and Tifa and what Normal is for them until tragedy strikes. Tragedy that brings them closer or will it tear them apart. This story takes place over two time lines both after the events of AC and DOC. A year and a half after AC and about 4 years after AC.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one.

Normal. A word I never thought I would ever use. Normal? We were finally a normal family. Things had changed so much in my quaint little flat above my bar.

He was home, he had been for a long while now. It's been a year and a half since that day in the church. A year and a half since he came home and normal set in. At first it wasn't even close to being normal. For the first few months things were awkward but time changes things for the better in our case.

I smiled as he entered the bar, home from a long day of deliveries.

'Hi, I've left food on the counter for you' I smiled at him continuing to wipe down the bar.

'Thanks' he nods walking past me towards the kitchen.

Things were normal. After he had ate and showered we would work together to sort out his routes for the following days deliveries. It was routine now. It was our normal.

I found him in his room. Though it was fast becoming our room, the amount of nights I had spent sleeping in his small bed of late. Maps were already sprawled across his duvet, a note book in hand. With all the booked deliveries on the list.

He smiled as I joined him. A few months ago this would of been very awkward. But now this was normal this was comfortable. Okay the only thing now was that I needed to tell him something but I was to scared to. I was scared I would break the norm.

The next few hours passed quickly and before I knew it I was asleep, asleep in the bed next to the man I loved.

Cloud's POV

I watched as Tifa feel asleep beside me. I could never move her she always looked so peaceful and perfect when she slept. At first it was awkward, the two of us working on routes in my bed and her falling asleep. But now it's the norm. I find now I can't get a decent sleep if she's not beside me. I didn't want to shatter what we had become. I wanted and longed to love her properly but that would destroy our norm and I wasn't deserving of being happy.

My mornings always started the same now. I would get up before Tifa, I would have to untangle her from me. Often I would resist the urge to place a kiss on her forehead but today I didn't. I got up showered and headed down stairs to the bar, to start my day on the road.

As usual there was a note taped to a brown paper bag. Tifa would always do this. Leave me lunch and a note to send me on my way.

 _~Cloud_

 _Here's your lunch it's your favourite today. I'm making lasagna for dinner I'll be sure to save you some. See you when your_ _home. Be safe xxx_

 _Teef_

I smiled picking up the bag. Silently promising I would be safe and I would see her again tonight.

A loud shrill ringing woke me from my sleep. The phone was ringing. I was a little dazed and didn't manage to answer right away. But as soon as I went to check who had called, it rang again.

'Hello'

'Tifa thank god, it's Reeve' Reeve said on the other end. Why was he calling, Cloud had left already. Things at the WRO was going smoothly. As far as we were concerned things we had more or less left that life behind.

'What's up?' I respond.

'You might want to sit down' comes his response, a puzzled look crosses my features but I comply and sit down.

'I'm sat down go ahead Reeve' I said, I felt awkward this was not a normal call with Reeve.

'Tifa I don't know how to tell you this, but Cloud has just been rushed into Midgar general hospital, he's been involved in an accident' I hadn't even heard him all I heard was Cloud, hospital and accident and I had dropped the phone on the floor, I could hear Reeve shouting down from the other end.

I broke. Normal was broken. I collapsed in a heap and began to sob, I had no idea how serious his injuries were at this point of course but I couldn't help but think the worse. Couldn't we just have a break for once?

The next thing I know is Barret and Cid are walking into the room and picking me up off the floor.

'Go get dressed Teef, I'm taking to the hospital now, Barret will look after the kids' Cid says lifting me up. I nod and head to dress.

Before I knew it I'm in Cid's airship heading to the hospital. I'm still shaking and dazed but for now at least the tears have stopped.

I'm lead in side by Cid, sat down on a seat by him as he goes to ask about Cloud. As I'm still a incoherent mess despite the tears stopping. He joins me a few minutes later saying something about a doctor coming down to get us in a few minutes.

Finally what feels like a life time I'm taking to see him. I'm told he's been placed into an induced coma. I once again burst into tears as I see him lying 'asleep' and wired up to various machines. Cid pulls me into his chest and I sob uncontrollably for a while.

I then walk over to him. Take his hand in mine and silently pray.

'Aerith, Zack please watch over him, bring him back to me, I love him' I sob.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cloud's POV

I'm woken, now by the unusual sound of an alarm but the sound of beeping. A heart monitor I wonder? As my eyes adjust I see pristine white and blue walls. I'm in hospital am I?

'Oh thank goodness Cloud your awake' I hear Tifa cry. I let my eyes wonder to her, but she looks older and she's not alone, in her arms a small blue blanket and a pink fleshy bundle. Huh?

'Daddy' I hear from the other side of my bed. 'Daddy?' I asked silently. It didn't sound like Marlene and she had never called me Daddy, that title was reserved for Barret and Barret only.

My eyes meet with the girl as she practically throws herself at me.

"Now Now Sunny don't climb on daddy okay, he's still injured' I hear Tifa scold

"Sowrry mummy" the girl cries.

I tried to keep my expression neutral but inside I was a mess. What the fuck. Since when were Tifa and I a couple? Since when did we have two kids of our own?

"Cloud? I'm going go let the doctor know your awake, I'll leave Sunny with you, Sunny be good for Daddy okay" Tifa says getting up and heading to the door, her arms still full of the tiny bundle in blue. My son?

I'm brought out of my thoughts with a screech from Sunny. Taking her in for the first time there is no denying she's mine and Tifa's daughter, she has bright blue eyes like mine and Tifa's beautiful flowing locks.

"Look Daddy, I drew you a picture" she tells me placing the picture in my lap. In the picture there is 6 of us. Finding my voice I ask

"Sunny who are all these people?"

"Daddy your so funny. There's you and mummy in the middle, I'm holding yours and Marlene's Hand, Denzel is next to Marlene and mummy is holding River" she explains pointing to each person as she goes.

So that bundle in Tifa's arms was my son. Wow. This was all too much. The last thing I could remember clearly was leaving Tifa asleep in my bed and reading her note that said she would be making lasagna and to be safe. By the look of the girl on my bed that must of been a good 4 years ago now.

Tifa and the doctor come back in after a few minutes. I'm still lost in my thoughts. Where has all that time gone. How? when? I'm so confused?

"Hi Cloud I'm doctor Whale "now can you tell me what happened? The last thing you remember even?" Whale asked

"Um I'm not too sure the last thing I remember was heading out for a delivery and that's it." I respond. It's partly the truth, I just don't want to admit that I've lost yet another 4 years of my life.

"Cloud you lost control of your bike a few weeks ago, you've been in a coma since you were brought in" The doc explained

I stole a glance then at Tifa she was silently sobbing. Out of uncontrollable instinct I reached out for her. Unable to bare to see her like this. She took her hand in mine and I felt the jolt of a spark course through my veins. I also happened to notice in place of her usual wolf ring there was two simple silver bands, one with one large sapphire in the middle and one that had three small gems on it.

So we were also married then? All of this was too much to take in at once. I couldn't remember any of this.

I tuned out then with what the doctor was saying. I was still trying to get over the fact, Tifa and I were married and had two kids. The doctor soon left after he poked and prodded and asked me some basic questions.

When he left Marlene and Denzal walked in, at least I thought it was them, both of them looked like them just older.

"Hi Cloud" Marlene called rushing to my side "it's good to finally see you awake"

Eventually Tifa cleared her throat and Marlene and Denzel took Sunny and River was it home. It was now just Tifa and I? I could feel my blood boiling and my face turning red.

"Aww Cloudy your so cute after all this time I can still make you blush" she teases climbing up on the bed next to me. I froze in place, nervous yet excited for what was to come.

She rests her head against my chest and then I'm caught in her beautiful wine coloured eyes. I can't help but incline my head and press my lips against hers. I'm lost in bliss. It feels so right but also very wrong. I've dreamt of this many many times in the past but now it was real.

"I've missed you so much" she sobs as she breaks the kiss. I smile. I've missed her too, probably not in the same way she has but yes I've missed her.

My fingers play with her hair as she rests against me.

"Teef I need to ask a few questions, they may sound strange but just humour me okay?"

"Sure Cloud ask away" she responds squeezing my hand.

"Okay first how long have we been married?"

"Just under 4 years, actually it was the last time you were in hospital that you proposed. We hadn't even been seeing each other officially and you sort of woke up and asked" she blushed, a silent 'O' formed on my lips.

"Okay next question, how old is Sunny? She's ours right?" I felt stupid asking this one, like I knew she was mine but how?

"Sunny has just turned 3 she was born a year after our wedding, River followed after he's just 6 weeks old now" Tifa explained and answered my next question.

"And do I, I mean we do we still own a delivery service and a bar?" It wasn't important to ask but it would help piece things together easier.

"We do but both of our business now are just managed by us, we don't do as much on the front lines the same, not unless a client asks for us personally, that's, thats ... that's how you ended up in here" Tifa was slightly sobbing now.

"It's okay now Teef, I'm awake aren't I? I'm alive, I'm okay, I'm here with you" I respond softly stroking her hair. I never was good with words even when we had settled and become normal. I wasn't but even though I couldn't remember anything of the last four years I still felt I had changed.

We lay there for a while until Tifa had fallen asleep in my arms. Now this was something I did remember. It wasn't something that had been going on for long but it was the best part of the day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Tifa's POV

I was woken up several hours later by a nurse.

"Excuse me miss, visiting hours are over, you can come back in the morning" she whispers gently shaking my arm.

"Oh Mrs Strife I'm so sorry, I'll let this one slide, you can stay, I'll not say I've seen you." She nods and leaves after finishing up adjusting Clouds monitors.

I smile and curl back up, next to Cloud, pressing my lips against his warm chest. Oh how I've missed this. It was only two weeks but those two weeks were the hardest of my life. Without him and with River only being a month old things weren't easy. I was overwhelmed to have him back.

I lay back down and quickly sleep consumed me again. In his arms it was hard not to find comfort.

The next thing I know is I'm being woken up by Cloud this time. His lips pressing against my forehead and his fingers tickling my sides. I really did miss this.

It's not long until the doctor is back, and wheeling Cloud away for the tests he requires. It's hard watching him go but at least he would be coming back. Hopefully these tests would allow him to come sooner rather than later.

I wanted and needed normal back.

One week later (still Tifa's POV)

I was currently at home, preparing for Cloud coming home. He was being released today. Shera was with me, babysitting River and Sunny while I worked on the house. She would also be taking care of the kids for a couple of nights, to help Cloud settle in back home.

Cloud's POV

Today's the day that I'm going home, I was making good progress and it was mostly thanks to the Mako enhancement. I both hated it and was also partly grateful to it, it helped speed up my healing.

I was anxious yet excited to be going home.

Home something that never had a meaning before something that was only ever there as a place to rest my head. Now it was more than just that.

Returning home to a new life was scary, a life I knew nothing about was daunting to say the least. But Tifa was with me and she had been telling me plenty about our daily life.

And this was my life now. It of course mattered that I had lost 4 years of memories but that was my secret and my secret alone. I didn't want anyone knowing at least not yet.

A few hours later and I was dressed and in the car with Barret taking me back home.

Arriving at an unfamiliar address I got out the car as Barret pulled up.

"Aren't you going in?" Barret grumbled slapping me on the back before walking into the house in front of us.

The house was nice, large and as I stepped through the threshold it was certainly more homely than our old place. Various pictures hung from the wall. Pictures of us on our wedding day, the two of us smiling like idiots. Then there was Tifa holding a baby in a pink blanket, the one from the day that geostimga was cured was also there.

"Welcome home Cloud" a chorus of voices echoed as I stepped into the living room. Tifa's bright smile was the first thing I could see and she quickly crossed the floor to embrace me in a hug. I stiffened briefly before relaxing and wrapping my arms around her.


End file.
